


More Ancient Than Magic

by ironfamjam



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Angst, Big Brother Peter Parker, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hogwarts AU, One part comedy one part fluff one part major angst, Peter Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, but it's not super vivid or anything, tw: torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21829660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironfamjam/pseuds/ironfamjam
Summary: Life isn't exactly normal when your Head of House is also kinda your father-figure and his daughter is kinda sorta your little sister.It's also not normal when the bad guys your real-life-war-hero-not-actually-dad defeated in The Great War threaten to return and you're still just trying to finish your Charms essay.But Professor Stark asked him to protect Morgan. And that's what he's going to do.Even if it breaks him.The mini Hogwarts AU
Relationships: Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 44
Kudos: 464
Collections: Iron Dad Secret Santa 2019, Irondad and his Iron kids, Marvel(ous)Universe





	More Ancient Than Magic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IAmAllYetNotAtAll](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmAllYetNotAtAll/gifts).



> Happy Holidays to my giftee IAmAllYetNotAtAll!! I hope you enjoy this fic- I tried to mash all three of your prompts together (though to differing success lol) I had so much fun writing it and I hope you have as much fun reading it! <3 <3

“Petey do you copy?” Morgan’s dramatic whisper crackles in Peter’s ear. He brushes his fingers briefly against the enchanted earpiece to adjust it, smiling when he hears her little giggle. 

“Yeah, I copy, anyone coming down the hall?”

“Nuh uh. Are you doing okay too?” 

Peter takes stock of his situation. He’s currently sticking to the walls of a looping staircase whose steps he knows are one hundred percent booby-trapped. The last time he did this, he had a giant L on his forehead for seven hours and several extremely unnecessary and overly mortifying photos taken of him. 

This time, he wouldn’t be defeated by some stupid stairs. 

So far, his genius plan is working. So obviously, he deserves to brag about it. Shamelessly. “What’d I tell you M? Easy-peasy lemon squee-” Peter squeaks as he slides down the wall, the sticky charm wearing off as his concentration fluctuates.

“Oh my God, no no.” Peter mutters on his breath, pulling out his wand as quick as he can, “ _Inhaero!_ ” He whisper shouts and all at once, the sticky quality returns to his hands and feet and he continues the trek up the tower. 

“Phew.” Morgan says, “That was close.”

Peter cringes. “ _Way_ too close.” 

As he nears the top of the stairs he can’t help but grimace as he examines all of the enchantments carved into the lock of the door and tries to remember all the charms he knows have been added- but what should he expect from the Head of Gryffindor house’s private chambers? 

Carefully, he walks up the wall onto the ceiling so that his feet stick to the top and he hangs upside down, scrutinizing the lock. “Okay…” he whispers to himself, “M, read me the book again.”

“Kaaaay.” She chirps, “First you have to cast the ill-u-shan charm.” 

“Good job Morgan.” Peter praises, “But it’s illusion, with a j kinda sound.”

“That’s weird.” She says immediately, and Peter can just see that familiar Stark look of dismissive confusion. 

He snorts, “Yeah, English is weird, but hold on just a sec.” 

Peter pulls out his wand, ready to reveal just what exactly was guarding the door. “ _Incantaeum revelare_.” Immediately, the doorknob glows blue and a series of colours burst out like flares. 

“What the-?” Peter’s so taken aback by the rainbow of lights that he doesn’t notice when several things happen all at once.

First is Morgan’s squeak of surprise, “Daddy!” and the somewhat distant, “Hey munchkin, what are you-”

A dramatic gasp. 

Okay so he’s seen the instruction paper. Alright, alright, Peter’s super screwed alright-

Second, the rainbow light immediately disappears and okay he can deal with that, it’s okay, it’s- but then the stones shift beneath him and an entirely new door made of obsidian bursts through the floor. Okay _that’s_ not good but- oh shit, oh great, suddenly, each of the steps starts shaking, sliding left and right until even the ceiling shakes and-

“Oh no.” 

Peter’s charm breaks and he falls right into the ground just as Tony’s voice ricochets off the walls, “Parker!!” 

“Oh NOOOOO.” Peter groans, quickly running through the list of every spell he knows and finding it extremely rude that no one had already invented an Oh Shit I’m About To Get In Trouble Can The Ground Just Make Room For Me Within It Ok Thanks Bye spell. 

BuT tHat wOuLdn’T bE a uSEfuL sPElL fOr YoUNG WizARDs.

Okay, so he dies then. 

Resigned to his fate, Peter sprawls atop the now dormant steps and just waits until the Head of his House finds him. 

Tony arrives carrying Morgan on his hip and a dry, yet still vaguely amused expression. “Peter.” He greets.

“Professor.” Peter replies, in that same tone. 

Tony looks behind him, cracking a grin, “Well, at least you got past the staircase this time.” 

Peter throws himself back on the steps. 

Peter’s braiding Morgan’s hair into two pigtails on the couch when Tony brings over two cups of coffee. “The big one’s for me so don’t go getting any ideas now.” Tony warns, smiling at him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it Professor Stark.” Peter says cheekily, tying off the last braid.

“Ahh!! It’s so pretty! Thanks Petey!” Morgan squeals, turning around on the floor to throw her arms around his waist, squeezing twice. 

“No prob M. You know I live to please.” He jokes, pinching her cheek before she bounds away to get her colouring book.

“So,” Tony starts, “what did we learn?”

“That reveal spells don’t work?” Peter says sulkily, sipping his coffee almost petulantly.

“Peter, I’m literally your Charms Professor. Did it not occur to you that I’d have a charm against the _reveal_ charm?”

Peter sputters, “I mean- well- sure! But still!” 

Tony bursts into snickers, trying to hide it as Peter glowers at him like a drenched puppy. “I’m sorry I’m sorry. Okay. You’re doing good Peter. I mean, I’m definitely not encouraging you to break and enter- well I guess I am.”

And Tony is most definitely encouraging him to break and enter. It’s part of their deal. If Peter can break past and steal Tony’s armor helmet, then Tony would get him into the early entry auror program. 

Not a bad deal really. 

Except that Tony Stark is a goddamn genius who invents more charms than the spell books can keep up with but that’s fine. It’s _fine_. 

Tony pats him on the shoulder, “But at least you’re learning. Who knows what you might come up with next.” 

Peter glances at him from the corner of his eye, hiding his smile with his mug. He knows that Tony’s referring to his sticky charm- the one that lets him walk on walls or trees or just about anything really. Although…it _does_ have a time limit- one entirely dependent on how strong the spell is cast which meant he never actually _knew_ how long it would last but still! He’s working on it. 

Peter shrugs, “Yeah well, I’ve still got a long way to go before I can make anything like you did.” 

Tony looks at him, lip curled in almost a sad smile, “And you know that I hope you never have to go through anything that’ll force you to do something like that.” 

In that moment, Tony’s looking at him like he loves him. 

And it’s times like these when the vulnerability of living echoes behind their words that the scars that creep up from Tony’s chest to his neck seem the most prominent. They’re remnants of his sacrifice, a monument to everything the world could have lost if it weren’t for one man. 

“How did you know that your plan was going to work? When you…when you fought the Dark Lord?” Peter asks, hoping he isn’t broaching on sensitive territory. 

Tony looks like he’s in thought. “I didn’t. I just knew what I had to do. And I knew in my heart that it was right. And somehow…” he smiles softly, “somehow the magic just came and I knew exactly what I needed to do.” 

“But how could you come back here after everything that happened? You and all the other professors. I couldn’t-” Peter cuts off. Unable to stop himself from remembering how he felt when Uncle Ben died. 

How much it hurt when the bullet ripped through Ben’s chest and even though Peter’s veins were coursing with magic, he did nothing. He couldn’t do anything until he was crashing to his knees and waves and waves of wandless, uncontrolled magic burst from him as though he were a child who hadn’t yet learned the meaning of control.

And when the windows had shattered and the bricks had crumpled and the Ministry was getting up in arms, it was Tony who appeared next to him and just pulled him into his chest and held him while he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. 

And it was Tony who told the Ministry of Magic to back off his student and repeal their move to suspend him for using prohibited magic and it was Tony who took on the faculty and made a case for Peter staying even though his melt-down necessitated the obliviating of an entire neighborhood. 

And it was Tony who made Hogwarts a home for him that he could escape to when his own home had too many memories to bear with at the time. It was fitting though, in a way. It was also Tony who first visited him when he was eleven and made all the Lego toys in his room come to life, “You have magic kid, and we’re going to teach you how to make the world of it.” 

Five years later, Tony looks at him now with kindness and shrugs, taking a sip of his drink. “We might have been forced to be fighters, but we aren’t soldiers. We’re protectors. And there’s nothing more important to protect than the next generation.” 

Peter smiles into his mug, “Maybe I get why you’re in textbooks now.” He teases, “You sure got that motivational speech thing down.”

Tony blinks and then throws his head back in laughter, “I get that from Pep. You should know that by now kiddo.” 

“Now,” Tony starts, “finish up your drink and let’s hit the books, I guarantee we can find the root of that animation spell and tweak it so that it can control more than one thing at once.” 

Peter grins, “Yes sir!” 

Peter’s doodling in the margins of his parchment when Professor Potts comes behind him, “Are the wonders of arithmancy boring to you Mr. Parker?” She asks with a twinkle in her eye.

Peter shoots up, blushing, “N-no ma’am! I’m sorry!”

She smiles kindly, “I’m just teasing. But do try to jot down the formula I just wrote down please, it’ll come up on your OWLs.” 

Flash snickers behind him, “Yeah Parker. Otherwise you’ll have to beg Stark for a good grade again.”

MJ turns around, glaring, “At least he didn’t fail his potions paper.” 

Flash blanches.

“Yeah.” MJ shoots, “I heard Professor Banner telling you off. So I’d get off your high horse Thompson.”

‘Thank you,’ Peter mouths.

MJ just quirks her brows and resumes her scribbling which Peter knows is tantamount to her confessing her undying loyalty to him, so that’s pretty great. 

When the class lets out, there are rumors rushing up and down the halls. 

Peter spots Ned in his distinct Hufflepuff uniforms waving him and MJ over. “Did you guys hear??” He presses, eyes wide. 

Peter blinks. “Hear what?”

Ned leans in closer, “The stones are missing.” 

“ _What?_ ” Peter’s brows furrow in confusion, but MJ pales.

“Peter.” She says insistently, “The stones. The infinity stones.” 

And suddenly Peter gets it. “How-how could they be missing? Weren’t they scattered after the war?”

Ned’s face crinkles with worry, “Yeah, they were supposed to be. One with the goblins, one with the centaurs, one with the giants, two with the Unspeakables, and-”

“One here.” Peter finishes, eyes wide.

Ned nods. “One here.” 

“But- there’s no way they could’ve gotten all of them. The goblins and the giants and-”

“Well that’s the thing. Three stones are missing, but no one’s telling us which ones.” 

MJ’s eyes darken, “And the teachers are just going to keep us more in the dark. If we’re going to find out anything, we’ll have to do it ourselves.”

Peter bites his lip, “Professor Stark wouldn’t lie to me.” 

“He might not tell you the truth though either.” She retorts.

Peter quiets. Deep down, he knows she’s right.

Ned hunches in on himself, “I don’t know. It isn’t safe. If the stones really are missing, then maybe…maybe that means that the-”

“Don’t say it!” Peter snaps, looking apologetic only seconds after. “No wait, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” he looks away, “There’s no way he’s back. There _can’t_ be. Tony killed him. You know that. We all know that!”

And there’s no way Peter would ever be okay with Tony’s sacrifice being for nothing. Absolutely no way. 

MJ’s eyes are oddly gentle, “It doesn’t have to be him for his army to be resurrected again.”

And Peter knows she’s right.

Peter knocks on Tony’s door later that day. The place is empty except for Tony, who’s staring holes into the wall, kneading circles into his temples. “Hey kid.” He greets, trying for a tired smile, “What’s up?” 

Immediately, all of Peter’s determination to fight for answers and being young be damned mentality drains away at the sight of his mentor so haggard. “Professor, are you okay?” Peter asks, sitting beside him, eyes warm and concerned.

Tony smiles, ruffling Peter’s hair carelessly, “Always.”

Peter bites his lip, “You don’t have to pretend. I know the stones are missing. And I know there’s one here.” 

“There’s not just any stone here Pete. It’s the most dangerous one.”

Peter’s eyes are wide.

“The soul stone was the first stone to be created and it was imbued with magic more ancient than we even have records of. It taps into the essence of magic itself, the essence of maybe even humanity. And I can’t ever let anyone get to it.” Tony’s hands curl into fists. “Especially not them.” 

Peter shoots up, hands clutching his knees as he lurches forward, “What? Of course no one will get to it. It’s here! Guarded by the ultimate hero ever!” Peter exclaims, a mosaic of faith and blind admiration glittering in his eyes, “You and the Avengers destroyed the gauntlet the first time and kicked the Black Order’s ass. You can definitely protect a stone. I bet Professor Romanoff is already thinking up of really freaky ways to stop anyone from even coming close to it.”

“Plus!” he adds, brightening, “There’s your charms. I don’t think there’s a single person in the world who isn’t afraid of what you can do with a spell.” 

Tony glances down at Peter and looks at him for a long time before his posture softens. He looks like he’s hiding a grave secret. Or maybe an intense worry. Regardless, Peter knows that look. It’s the one Uncle Ben used to give him before he’d say something like, ‘you’ll understand when you’re older’. 

“You’re a good kid Peter. And I’m glad I’ve gotten to watch you grow up these past few years.” Tony’s head tilts just a fraction, “I’m proud of you.” 

There’s a deep warmth blossoming in Peter’s chest that battles with a wary fear. “Don’t get sappy on me professor, we still have two more years to go together.” 

“Exactly.” Tony says abruptly, “So I don’t want you poking your nose into anything understand? I know things are chaotic but everything is going to be fine. You said it yourself, Hogwarts is a fortress. So you just focus on having fun and being a kid and doing your schoolwork okay?”

Peter frowns, “But I want to help! I can help you cast the protection charms or test the traps or-”

“No way kiddo.” Tony’s voice leaves no room for arguments, “You gotta stay at least a hundred yards away from everything, otherwise you’ll give me an early heart attack,” he shrugs flippantly, “and Pep said that’s not allowed so my hands are tied.”

“Come on! I can help! You know I can!” Peter insists, fervent and sincere.

Tony sighs, “I know you can Peter. You’re one of the most talented kids I know, and one day you’re going to be the inventor of some incredibly high-powered futuristic super cool spells that’ll leave me in the dust. But for now, you’re still one of my kids, which means I protect you. Got it?” 

They stare at each other for a few more moments before Peter sighs, looking away, jaw tight. “Fine.” 

Tony claps his hands. “Good boy.”

“But I could be doing so much more.”

Tony softens, “You’re already doing enough kid. You want something to do, then how about keeping an eye on Morgan for me. Merlin knows she gets into enough trouble already. Think you could do that for me?” 

“You know I’d look out for her anyway.” Peter grumbles.

“I know.” Tony wags his brows, “And that’s why you’re her favourite.”

Peter perks up, unable to help from preening a little, “Really?” 

Tony snorts, “Like you don’t know she calls you her big brother.”

And like an arrow had stabbed him clean through the chest, all the negativity from before washes away. “Professor Stark _stop_ you’re gonna send me into an early heart attack.” 

Tony laughs just as Pepper and Morgan walk through the door. They spend the rest of the evening playing cards and Peter wishes there was a charm to inscribe a memory into his brain forever. There’s a fire crackling in the corner and the smell of pumpkin pie and Tony’s laughter in the air and Morgan’s arms wrapped around his neck as she presses a sloppy kiss against his cheek. And when the firelight shines across Tony’s face, Peter sees a hero and knows that he doesn’t have to worry. 

The next two weeks are quiet and the fuss over the stones melts away as the new gossip cycle passes through. But from the corners of his eyes, Peter can see the professors whispering amongst themselves. Professor Rogers switches their Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum from their theoretical dive into how to deal with ancient spells to active protection spells. 

“Alright everyone, in a line, let’s practice the _protego_ spell, come on.” 

The class isn’t nearly to the standard Professor Rogers wants them to be at and their homework, instead of the usual essays and research, is simply to practice so that he can teach them how to make it more powerful than protecting against just a common jinx. 

In Potions, Professor Banner talks them through how to identify poisons and tips to checking your food and drink for tampering. The class is unsettling and even the Slytherins, for all their jokes about cutting across the competition to the top, get a bad taste in their mouths. 

The air is different in the school and everyone feels it, even when they’re in their dorms away from owls with letters and newspapers and the rumors that fly. Not for the first time, Peter wishes that MJ and Ned were in Gryffindor with him. He just wants to make sure they’re okay- as though that if he could see them, they’d be kept out of harms way. 

Only Tony continues through the days as though nothing possibly could be wrong. He enters the classroom with a flourish of his robes, his signature smile brimming with confidence. “Guess what kiddos, today you’ll be learning how to keep secrets.” He raises his finger in mock sternness, “But I’m warning you, not even the best secrecy spell can hide you know what from your mothers.” 

The class blushes and stifles laughter while Tony carries on, “The Fidelious Charm is extremely difficult, complex, and challenging. But if done right, it promises to hide a location so well, it will become invisible, sound-proof, intangible and unplottable unless you’re told where it is by the Secret Keeper.”

A student raises his hand, “The Secret Keeper sir?” 

Tony nods, “The Secret Keeper.” He turns, hands behind his back, “Say that our delightful Miss. Jones decides to build a secret library in the woods so she can finally get away from all of you hooligans and read in peace.”

MJ’s lips draw up in a somewhat impressed half-smile and Tony grins. “Now, to ensure that she’s completely alone, she casts the Fidelious Charm, which she can absolutely do because we all know she’s extremely talented. But for safety, it’s important that someone else knows about it in case something happens. So, she brings in someone to tell the secret to.”

“Of course, she’s already the primary Secret Keeper, so she can bring,” Tony purses his lips, a playful twinkle in his eye, “let’s say Mr. Parker, to be the second Secret Keeper. That means that he can see and enter into her little library, and if there was ever to be a third person, only he or Miss. Jones could tell someone.”

Tony’s voice drops, “But the rules are strict. Someone can only know the secret if they hear it directly from the Secret Keeper and it’s impossible to coerce the information through any of the Unforgivable curses or truth serums. That’s why it’s one of the most powerful spells you can learn.” 

The class is quiet for a moment before someone raises a hand. Tony raises a brow, “Yes?”

“Can all spells be broken sir?” The student, Osborne, Peter thinks, gestures to the board, “Is it possible to find the secret anyway?” 

Tony looks thoughtful, twirling his wand in his hand. “That’s a tricky question. Can all spells be broken? Theoretically. Are there some that just can’t?” He shrugs, “Yeah. But that’s just because we haven’t figured out all the secrets behind magic yet.”

Tony smiles, “By the time you all get to my age, the world will be a more advanced place. Who knows, maybe one day this spell will become obsolete. But I’ll tell you this. It’s something ancient and it’s been around longer than we have and it will probably be around a lot longer after we die, but,” he quirks his brows, “if you want to try breaking it, I’m sure as hell not going to get in your way.” He raises a fist in the air, “Stick it to the secret keepers.”

“So is this the most powerful magic then?” Flash asks, with his usual level of obnoxiousness. 

“Don’t worry Mr. Thompson, you still haven’t peaked yet.” Tony says dryly and Peter has to hide his snicker in his hand, “But no. Care to venture a guess?”

“Curses. It has to be curses.” Flash says firmly.

MJ makes a face, “Why would it be curses? Transfiguration can last longer.”

Someone else shouts from the back, “Well what about hexes?? Have you seen Betty’s bat bogey hex??” 

The class laughs but Tony just looks thoughtful at the front of the class and oddly, his gaze shifts to Peter for just a moment, looking soft and almost afraid, before his normal façade reappears. “Nobody knows what the most powerful magic is. And nobody really quite understands why sometimes your spell is stronger one time versus the next. The nature of magic goes back farther than we can understand yet, but if you care what an old man has to say-”

“So dramatic.” Peter murmurs under his breath, snorting when he catches Tony’s quick glare.

“You’ll find out soon enough that what makes power isn’t magic but something a lot more indescribable than that.” He taps at his chest and the class doesn’t have a moment to process it before Tony claps his hands, “Well! That fixes my I didn’t figure out what to assign you for homework question. Four page essay due next week. Question, what’s the most powerful type of magic and why?” 

The class groans and Tony rolls his eyes, “Oh sure, but when Steve assigns you _protego_ practice that’s fun.” 

The class breaks for lunch and as soon as Peter and his friends get into the Grand Hall, he knows something is wrong. The entire hall is in a cacophony, with flying letters milling about and everyone passing around newspapers, voices clamoring together in an unintelligible din. 

Peter runs to the middle of the Hufflepuff table where Ned turns to him with wide eyes, “Peter! Did you see this??”

Ned all but stuffs the paper into Peter’s face and when he reads the headline he can’t help the sharp intake of breath and the helpless look at the head table as though seeing Tony’s face could provide him any answers- as though not just fifteen minutes before, everything had been fine. 

THE MARK OF THE GAUNTLET RETURNS

Moving pictures showing the dozens of gauntlet symbols cropping up all over the Great War memorials and in Diagon Alley flash on the page. Peter swallows hard, skimming the article. It’s short, not saying anything he didn’t already know. About how twenty years ago, a man known as The Titan quietly brewed dissent within The Ministry Magic. How he spoke of superiority to muggles and a need to repeal the Secrecy Act. About how he gained followers who wore golden gloves to commemorate the gauntlet The Titan created to wield the power of ancient stones. 

The Titan almost won were it not for a young group of scrappy fighters who banded together, each with their own deadly skill and a fierce love for peace and safety for their families.

Peter looks up at the head table, where Professor Romanoff sits grimly while Professors Rogers and Banner whisper amongst themselves. Almost without meaning to, Peter waves his wand beneath the table, whispering the spell for enhanced hearing. He almost feels guilty, but he can’t not know. He can’t. 

“We have to call them.” Professor Banner whispers, while Tony frowns deeply.

“If we do that, then we’re basically yelling for the whole world to hear that we’re freaked.” Tony argues.

“Maybe they’ll see it as a signal.” Professor Romanoff says, voice low, “They know what happened the first time, they don’t want to see what we’ll do now that we’re better than before.”

Professor Rogers grits his jaw, “I don’t know. Maybe Tony’s right. We want to look united. And strong.”

“What’s stronger than all of us together?” Professor Banner presses and the four of them are silent for a moment before Tony sighs.

“Fine. But you better get my headache potion ready. I’m already feeling a migraine.”

And as though Tony knows what he’s doing, his gaze pins Peter instantly and in his absolute mortification, he loses focus and the spell drops, the cacophony around him drowning out his professors’ voices once and for all.

Hogwarts is bursting from the seams two days later when on the back of a giant wolf with piercing green eyes, Thor Odinson and Clint Barton arrive on the grounds. 

Every love-struck teenager is, of course, ecstatic. 

“IS THAT THOR??!” A stream of girls rushes past Peter and at that name, he turns right around and runs with them. 

Thor’s laughter booms like thunder. Hands at his hips, he throws his head back while Clint rolls his eyes beside him. “Yeah, yeah we get it. You’re the fan favourite. Stupid hunk of muscle.” 

“Don’t fret my friend, you’re loved as well.” Thor says, patting him gruffly on the shoulder.

“Where’s Nat.” Clint complains already stalking away, not waiting for Thor to follow.

While everyone trails after asking for autographs from the nation’s best auror, something afraid uncoils in Peter’s stomach. The original team is back together again. Together, they saved an entire country. Would it really take all six of them to protect one stone? 

A curfew is set for eight that night. The faculty say the staircases have gotten confused, going this way and that and need to be reset. But Peter knows better than that. And well, it doesn’t help that Tony asked him to baby-sit Morgan. Which really meant he wanted Morgan to baby-sit Peter because Tony knows Peter would never leave her alone to go snoop where his nose doesn’t belong.

“It’s not fair that your dad knows how cute I think you are.” Peter complains while Morgan bites into a chocolate frog. 

Morgan hums in sympathy, “Daddy’s really smart. But he said you’re not supposed to leave the dormitory though.”

“Yeah, but I want to know what’s happening! I want to help!” Peter says, cringing at how whiny he sounds.

“You’re helping me!” Morgan says earnestly and Peter can’t help but go warm on the inside, falling atop of her in a bear hug as she giggles. 

“Petey can you make me sticky?? Please!!” Morgan begs, eyes round.

Peter pretends to think, “I dunno…seems like a lot of work.”

She shakes his shoulders and Peter pretends to flail wildly, “Pleeeeaaaaseeee.”

Peter sighs dramatically, “Okay fine. But be careful okay?”

Morgan cheers as her feet touch the ceiling and for a little while, Peter forgets about the fear that lurked just outside their door. 

Tony and Pepper come back a couple hours later looking tired and worse for wear. Morgan’s asleep in her room, story books scattered around her. Peter’s on the couch, reading through one of Tony’s thick books for some inspiration for his Charms homework when he looks up, smiling, “Hey!” He greets brightly.

They smile back at him, but they’re small, regretful smiles. “Hey kid.” 

Peter closes the book, sitting up straighter, hearing his heart beat, “What’s wrong?” 

Tony and Pepper come to sit across from him on the other couch, Tony holding Pepper’s hand atop his knee. “Pete, we want to ask you something.” 

Anxiety unfurls in Peter’s insides but Pepper just softens, “It’s nothing bad Peter, I promise.”

Tony sighs, rubbing at his temple with his free hand, “I know you know how bad this might get.”

Peter bites the inside of his cheek, “They’re after the stone, right?”

Pepper nods, “They need it if they’re going to try and revive Thanos.” 

Peter’s breath staccatos in his throat, “What? Is that- why??”

“Because they’re crazy obsessives that’s why.” Tony snaps before sighing, rubbing at his temple, “I don’t know. They’re nuts. It’s not even possible. But…if they had the stones…” 

“But…there’s no way that can happen right?” And Peter looks at Tony like he’s still his hero, like there’s nothing he can’t do- and it just about breaks Tony’s heart. 

“Don’t worry kiddo. We threw that thing down somewhere so deep with more enchantments and booby-traps than Pep when she hides the Christmas presents.”

And Tony sounds so confident it’s almost impossible not to believe in him. 

Pepper squeezes Tony’s hand. “There are three stones left. The Ministry is gathering together its forces and it looks like we might have to fight again. But we’re not going to let that happen.”

Tony’s brows narrow, “We’re doing everything we can to make sure that everyone stays safe, but I can’t do that unless I know that the things that really matter are taken care of.”

Peter’s eyes are wide. “Professor Stark?”

Tony looks at him, deep and meaningful, “When I first moved into this tower, I made a hidden room right here.” 

Peter blinks, “Here?” 

“I hid it under the Fidelious Charm. Only two people know where it is. Me,” Tony tilts his head, “and Pepper.”

Peter’s eyes widen and his hands lift up into the air almost unconsciously, “Woah, Professor Stark I don’t know if-”

“Peter listen to me. If the bad guys come, knowing our luck, Pepper and I will be right in the middle of it. And the only way we can do that is if we know Morgan is safe. And there’s only one person I trust with that responsibility. A person I need to protect too.” Tony’s eyes are dark with intensity. 

Peter can feel his lungs expanding in his chest, he swears he can almost hear Morgan breathing in the other room. “You know I’d protect her with everything I have.” He says and knows that those words are true. 

Tony’s expression softens, “I know kid. That’s why we’re doing this.”

Pepper nods beside him.

“Promise me Peter.” Tony’s voice is like gravity, “If something happens, you’ll take Morgan and you’ll hide. And you don’t come out for anyone. Promise me.” 

Peter swallows, nodding hard, “I won’t let you down sir. I promise.” 

Tony gets up and whispers in his ear. A light glows and a place Peter had never noticed before reveals itself. And just like that, the fear of what might be ensnares him. 

For a while, everything is normal. So normal it almost borders on great. 

Peter, Ned, and MJ act like goofballs in the library, Morgan drew him a picture of the two of them flying on broomsticks together, even Flash had let up his annoying tendencies in favor of fanboying after Thor. But like it always did, things happened suddenly, and then all at once. 

It’s odd honestly, that the entire country’s generation of wizards all graduated from this very school. That every greatest hero and every greatest villain walked through these halls and wished upon the same stars. 

So Peter wonders if it’s strategy, that the invasion begins during class time, when everyone’s scattered across floors and rooms and the professors are all divided when being together is their greatest strength. 

They’re in Transfiguration with Professor Romanoff when she looks sharply to her wrist, face contorting in alert apprehension. It’s a bracelet that glows red and Peter recognizes it as one Barton has. Professor Romanoff clasps her hand over the bracelet and only a few seconds later, Carol, one of the friendlier ghosts who roamed the halls bursts through the wall. “Nat, they’re here.”

Professor Romanoff’s eyes narrow, “ _How?_ It’s impossible.”

“It doesn’t matter how. But we have to protect the students.” Carol’s jaw tightens, “And the stone.” 

Natasha whips around to the class and her expression strikes fear right down to Peter’s core. He sees now, why she’s Head of Slytherin. Because in her eyes he sees plan after plan resolving and revising themselves in her mind and he sees a lethality that almost comforts him in its intensity. “Everyone, follow me. We’re getting you into the nearest dormitory.” She stops, like trying to remember to be gentle, “Everything’s going to be okay.” 

The class is terrified, jumping from their seats and running to cluster around her, huddling into one another, clutching at their wands. Professor Romanoff ushers them out, wand up, eyes sharp when they hear screaming coming from the Great Hall. 

Peter can hear the sound of walls crumbling and he hears spells being shouted by voices he doesn’t recognize and some he does. He’s certain he hears Thor roaring and he can see the ache in Natasha’s face to rush to her friends’ aid, but she knows her duties are to the students and she rushes them along.

And while they’re running, Peter’s thoughts fly to his friends and then fall to Morgan. 

It’s around two, which means she should be with Happy, Hogwarts’ caretaker. And Happy adores Morgan, calls her the highlight of his day. 

But he’s also a squib.

Which means that if anyone were to get to them, both of them would be defenseless. 

And he has to go. He has to go _right now_. Because Tony asked him to protect her but more importantly than that, Peter has to protect her. Because that’s Morgan. That’s his little sister and it didn’t matter that it wasn’t true, because where it mattered in his heart it _is_ and he has to _go_. 

He tries to leave the group subtly from behind but Professor Romanoff pins him with a deathly stare, “Do _not_ leave the group Parker.” 

“Professor- please! I have to get Morgan. I promised Professor Stark!”

“Absolutely not. It isn’t safe.”

The sound of fighting gets closer and Flash jerks back, panicked, “We don’t have time to argue. If he wants to go-let him! We need to get out of here!”

Professor Romanoff pins him with a stare that has Flash shrinking. “Parker, Morgan will be fine. You don’t think that was the first thing Tony thought of? He wouldn’t want you rushing into this. You’ll find her in the dormitory.” 

“But professor-”

“I said no.” 

And her word is final.

And Peter doesn’t know what to do. He looks at Ned and MJ who look just as uncertain and afraid. The closest dormitory is Gryffindor’s and when they enter, Natasha makes them promise to not leave before enchanting the outside to mask the portrait’s entrance for just a blank wall. 

The first thing Peter does is run up to Tony’s chambers, knowing that all of the traps from before would be gone now that he’s back on the Okay list. He bangs on the door, yelling Morgan’s name but there’s no answer. 

He tries the door handle. It’s unlocked.

Peter swallows, walking inside and seeing no one there. 

And then he hears the voice. 

“Attention Hogwarts, this is your first and only opportunity to surrender wilfully and spare yourselves anymore injury.” The voice is formal, old.

Peter freezes, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

The voice echoes across the entire school- a simple amplification charm- but an effective one. “You know what we’re here for. And you know what we stand for. The Black Order has always supported the education of young wizards and it would be a shame to destroy such an important monument to our history. But if you do not surrender now, we will destroy it. And we will destroy anyone who gets in our way.”

“If that’s not convincing enough, this might be. Lead us to the stone, or Morgan Stark dies.” 

Peter wants to throw up. His blood pounds in his ears and he feels hot all over. He’s going to be sick. He’s going to be-

Morgan’s crying fills the room and her pleas shatter his heart, “Daddy! Mommy! I’m scared!” 

And it’s all Peter can do not to crumble to the floor. 

But he doesn’t crumble. Because his friends burst through the door, jaws tight, eyes impassioned. And he doesn’t crumble. Because his professors were fighting out there and now they can’t. And he doesn’t crumble. Because that’s his little sister. And he’s going to protect her.

“Guys-”

MJ holds up a hand, “We’re already with you. Let’s go.” 

And Peter loves them. Loves them absolutely to death. 

“It’s gonna be dangerous. And I don’t want you guys to-”

Ned puts his hand on his shoulder, looking at Peter like he’s almost maybe an idiot. “You go, we go. That’s how it is. We’re a team.” 

MJ’s lip pulls up, “What he said.” 

Peter nods, that frantic energy sizzling up and down his spine. “Okay. Okay. There’s a war happening outside. There’s who knows how many of the Black Order out there. We don’t know where Morgan is. And Professor Stark’s probably being coerced into giving them the stone as we speak.” He looks up, overwhelmed, “How the hell do we do this?”

MJ smirks, pulling a folded up piece of parchment from her satchel. “Lucky for you losers, I know some experts.” 

MJ pulls out her wand, tapping the parchment lightly, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”

Peter and Ned look at each other in confusion before ink spreads across the page. 

“Holy shit.” 

_Messers Star Lord, Rocket, Groot, Drax and Misses Mantis, Nebula, and Gamora proudly present, The Super Cool Top Secret Totally Not Illegal Map_

MJ opens up the parchment and an entire map of Hogwarts reveals itself slowly, little footsteps moving all across it with people’s names attached. Peter sputters, “Is this- is this seriously??”

MJ grins, “A live map of Hogwarts showing everyone’s location at any given time and all the secret passageways?” she tilts her head, “Yup.”

Ned’s eyes can’t get any bigger as he stares at the map, “How did you even get this.”

“Let’s just say I know a girl.”

Peter stares at her, “Okay, we’re definitely talking about this later, because holy shit, but right now we have things to do. Anyone see Morgan?” 

The three scan the map when Peter notices Tony. He’s at the entrance to the dungeons surrounded by people Peter has never heard of before- which means they have to be the intruders. The rest of the Avengers’ icons are motionless in the Great Hall, surrounded by more strangers. 

In a sick way, Peter’s almost surprised that the faculty have backed down, acquiescing to the intruders’ demands. But he also knows Tony. And knows that he would never forgive anyone who put his daughter in harm’s way- even if it was to save the country. 

And that’s why Peter knows he has to do this. 

To protect everyone. 

Ned spots Morgan in the astronomy tower, being guarded by two men. The tower isn’t far from where they are and MJ quickly plots out a route that would keep them out of sight. With fear in their stomachs but something more powerful pulsing in their hearts, the three of them run out of the dormitory, racing down the halls. 

The door to the Astronomy Tower is unguarded and the three sneak up quickly, pausing as they round the corner to the wide open space. Peter can hear two of The Order talking and he glances behind him, nodding at MJ and Ned. 

The three of them burst into action, Ned and MJ shouting, “ _Stupefy!_ ” while Peter lunges for Morgan. 

The first guard drops right to the ground, while the other puts up a perfect shield charm, lips pulled in a nasty growl. But before he can cast another spell, MJ hits him with a blasting curse that has him crashing into the wall, groaning. It would have surprised him more really, that they were that easy to beat. But people who get caught up in populism never seemed to be too bright. And these were no exception. 

At the sight of them, Morgan bursts into tears. She runs towards them, stumbling through her fear, throwing her arms around Peter as he picks her up, hugging her close. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I got you. Don’t worry. I got you.” 

The stupefied man moans, hand twitching and Peter turns panicked eyed to his friends, “We gotta go, come on! Ned!”

Ned nods shakily, pulling out his wand and pressing the tip to his throat, “ _Sonarous maximus_.” Ned takes a breath, “Professor Stark! We have Morgan! I repeat! We have Morgan! Kick their asses!!” 

And the three of them are running down the stairs. 

It’s only when they burst through the doors that they realize they should have waited to announce their victory until they were safe because members of The Black Order storm down the halls, heading straight for them. 

“Run!” Peter yells, trying not to feel the fear in the way Morgan’s arms squeeze around his neck.

Ned and MJ cast a dual _protego_ charm around the three of them, brows furrowed in concentration as spells bounce off their shields. But the shield breaks and a curse zips right past Ned’s ear, shattering the stone behind them. 

There are three soldiers on their tail, chasing after them and one more coming from their left. They’re being surrounded and Peter knows they’ll have no choice but to fight but he also knows that he can’t because Morgan will be caught in the crossfire and that’s the one thing he can’t allow.

MJ glares, whipping her wand in an arc and a wave of fire bursts between them and The Order and leaving one free hall way where another is running towards them. Ned grabs Peter’s arm, lip wobbling, but eyes determined. “Peter. You gotta go. We have your back.”

Peter shirks back, shaking his head, “No. No way. I’m not leaving you.” 

Rocks explode behind him as a spell shatters the wall and they duck out of the way, coughing. MJ shoots another spell at the one soldier and stumbles trying to dodge it. 

“Go Peter!” MJ yells, “We can’t let them get the stone! Which means we can’t let them have Morgan! Go!” 

The man groans and Ned knocks him out with a well timed “ _Stupefy!_ ”

And MJ’s looking at him with urgent eyes and Ned is pushing on his arm and though it kills every single part of him, he knows she’s right. 

MJ always is. 

So Peter runs. He runs and he holds Morgan close and whispers assurances in her ear like he’s trying to convince himself just as much. He bursts into the staircase leading to the Stark chambers, hoping no one’s seen him enter, but also preparing to fight until he can’t. 

He closes the door behind him, enchanting it the best he can with protection spells before crouching down to Morgan’s level, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Hey.” He whispers, “You’re okay. I’m going to protect you.”

Morgan sniffles, eyes pink and swollen, “I’m scared. I want mommy and daddy.” 

“I know. I know. I’m sorry. But they’ll be here for you soon. I promise. But right now, I need you to be safe okay. I’m going to tell you a secret. And you can’t tell anyone okay?”

Morgan looks at him with wet, trusting eyes and Peter knows this is the best option for everyone. 

The secret room reveals itself and Morgan stares at it, confused. “What’s that?”

“It’s a hiding spot.” Peter’s hand rests atop Morgan’s head, “No one can find you if you go inside except me and your parents. So you have to hide there okay? And you can’t leave until I come get you.”

Morgan’s lip wobbles. “But why can’t you come with me!”

Peter’s brows slant, “I’m sorry M. But I have to go help my friends. I can’t leave them alone. But I can’t leave you here unprotected. If you go in that room, you’ll be safe.” 

Morgan shakes her head, lip wobbling, “No! I don’t want to go without you! And- and!” she stares at him with her big eyes, accusing and desperate, “And daddy wouldn’t want you to go alone! It’s not safe!”

Peter sucks in a breath, remembering Tony’s words. “ _We’re doing everything we can to make sure that everyone stays safe, but I can’t do that unless I know that the things that really matter are taken care of._ ”

Morgan’s right. If Tony found out what he was about to do, his heart would break right in two. But Peter knows in his heart that what he’s about to do is what’s right. And he knows that there’s no one who would understand that more than Tony.

Peter might never be a hero like Tony. Might never be as great or as brave. But he has Tony’s heart. And he has all this love inside him it feels like he might burst. And he won’t ever regret protecting his family. Not ever. 

Peter cups Morgan’s chin, forcing her to look at him, “I’m sorry M. But I can’t leave my friends alone. And I can’t leave your dad either. So promise me you won’t come out. No matter what.” 

Tearfully, but so very, very brave, Morgan nods. And Peter knows it kills every part of her, and loves her all the more for it. “Okay.” She whispers, “I promise.”

Peter’s knees feel like jelly. “Good girl.” 

When he closes the door in on her, his heart aches and aches, but he clutches his wand tight, taking a deep breath before the door blasts open, wood exploding across the room. Peter’s eyes widen. He takes a step back, wand up before ropes shoot out from across the room and he tumbles to the floor, immobilized. 

A woman and a man walk in, dressed in black robes with one golden glove. The woman’s smile is malicious as she strides in, kicking him in the ribs to turn him over, face up. “Well, well, well. What do you we have here?” 

“Proxima, are you sure it’s him? Where’s the girl?” The man growls, stalking around the room, kicking things over in his search for Morgan.

Proxima rolls her eyes, “Yes I’m sure. You’re always so quick to scold Maw.” 

Maw scowls, throwing open Tony and Pepper’s bedroom door, ripping through any nooks and crannies. 

Peter stays silent, hoping they’ll just search the place and leave. His wand had fallen out of his hand when he fell. It lay a couple feet away- not far enough that he couldn’t roll over and grab it, but far enough so that it would take a big distraction for Proxima not to notice. 

And like he had summoned her attention, Proxima bends down, crouching above him. “I know you took her.” She coos, caressing his cheek, “And I know that you’re afraid.” 

Her eyes are a strange colour. Like she isn’t quite human. Peter swallows, trying to school his expression. “I’m not afraid of you, you obsessive weirdo. Couldn’t you just go to grief counseling and move on like the rest of us?” 

Her expression darkens and immediately, her fingers wrap around his chin, squeezing his face in her hand, “Listen to me you little insect. You’re going to tell me where you hid the girl or I’m going to introduce you to a world you do _not_ want to see.” 

Peter cracks a grin, eyes blazing, “I’m not telling you anything.”

“You’re going to regret it.” 

“Tell that to me when Professor Stark rips you to pieces.” 

Maw steps out from behind him, shaking his head, “There’s no sign of her. And there are no other exit points.” 

“So he hid her somewhere else and lured us here.” Proxima says, looking down at Peter almost impressed, “Clever boy aren’t you?” 

Her expression darkens, “But not clever enough.”

She pulls out her wand and the ropes around him tighten. Peter flinches, trying to clench his fists to keep the blood flow coming but his limbs feel like they’re suffocating. “Tell me where Morgan Stark is.” 

“No.”

The ropes get tighter.

“Tell me.”

“No!” 

Proxima sighs, “So be it.”

She looks him in the eye and raises her wand. “ _Crucio_.” 

Peter used to wish that someone had just shot him when Ben died. That he would take a thousand beatings and a thousand lashings just to make the guilt and grief in his heart disappear. That nothing could be worse than losing his uncle.

But he was wrong. He was wrong he was wrong he was wrong. 

The pain hurtles through him like wildfire that incinerates every molecule within him. His body curls in on itself involuntarily and helplessly, and though he tries desperately not to, his scream rips through his throat like lightning. His body spasms as the curse runs through him and he gasps as his body falls limply to the floor. 

He’s panting, eyes wide, frozen in shock. He never thought he could experience something like that. He never thought his body could shake like that. That his brain could feel that much agony. 

Proxima frowns in fake sympathy, “It hurts doesn’t it?” her voice drops, “But it could hurt more. Tell me where she is.” 

Peter heaves, “N-no.” 

And almost lazily, Proxima curses him again.

The pain is worse this time, his body still recovering from before. Peter writhes on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, screaming and screaming. “Stop it!” he chokes, “Stop it!”

“I’ll stop when you tell me what I want to know!”

Peter looks at her, trying hard to look brave and snarky- like Tony. “It doesn’t-” he gasps, “matter. Fidelius charm.”

Proxima lowers her wand, fury written over her face when Maw raises a hand. “Continue Proxima.”

“What? Why? You can’t compel the secret. Everyone knows that.”

Maw’s eyes are dark, “No. But you can make him beg- and his desire to tell you will overcome the nature of the spell.” 

Peter feels his stomach sink and the fear he tried hard to hide away roars back again. Proxima turns to him, rage in her eyes. “Tell me where she is!”

And Peter knows that he can’t. That he _can’t_. That he won’t. Wouldn’t ever. He thinks of Morgan’s face, her round cheeks and silly smile. Thinks of the way she hugs him, with two squeezes. Thinks of the way she calls his name. 

And down in the dungeons, Peter knows Tony is fighting for the nation’s safety- for their freedom. And he knows that Tony’s thinking of Morgan too as he fights. Maybe of Peter too. And there’s no one in the world Peter wants to be more like than Tony. No one in the world he’d want to be his mentor. His- his- person. His someone like a father but not. Someone to look out for him and guide him and teach him. 

His hero. 

And so Peter roars and he forces his body to roll, trying to reach for his wand but Maw steps on his chest and pushes him down and Proxima is yelling out the Cruciatus curse and Peter is wailing until his voice doesn’t sound like his voice anymore when the secret door bursts open and Morgan wails louder. 

Peter’s heart dissolves right in his chest. He feels like he’s already dead. 

“Morgan no-”

Proxima whips around, wand out when Morgan scrunches her eyes shut and screams, “LEAVE PETEY ALONE!!!” 

And from her clenched fists, bright blue waves of energy explode. The ropes disintegrate around Peter’s body as Proxima screams, her body crashing against the wall with a crack. Maw slams through the wall into the kitchen and all at once, the glass from every window shatters and Peter lurches forward, grabbing Morgan though every cell in his body aches, rolling her onto the ground to shield her from the shards. 

Morgan’s still wailing in his ear, the magic pouring out of her in waves, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Debris whirls around them and a fierce wind blows in rhythm to Morgan’s sobbing. Peter holds tightly onto her, fingers cupping her head tightly, eyes wide with what now seems like the most obvious realization. He doesn’t know why he never thought Morgan might love him just as much as he loves her. Why she wouldn’t want to protect him just as much. Why she wouldn’t be just as afraid. And Peter hugs her close, patting her hair, pressing kisses onto her brow. Over and over, just to make sure she’s real. “It’s okay. It’s okay. Everything is okay. I got you. I got you.” 

And in the destruction, Peter rocks Morgan back and forth and feels her heartbeat against his chest. And he looks at the burns on his wrists from the curse and the remnants of the Fidelius charm and knows that for all their force and prestige, there’s something even more powerful in this universe so small and precious. Something he hears beating in both their chests. And he understands now, why Tony looked at him in class that day. Why he put a hand to his heart asking Peter a question he had already answered. 

Because the most powerful magic is, and always will be, love. 

When the fighting is over, Tony finds them, his eyes shining with infinite relief. He runs to them, falling to his knees to hug Morgan close, burying his face in her neck. “Oh my baby girl. Oh thank God. Thank God.” 

And from beside her on the floor, Peter closes his eyes and lets out the tense breath he’d been holding all this time before Tony grabs him in close, pressing a kiss into his hair. “You wonderful, wonderful, brave boy.” 

And Peter’s eyes are wide as Tony and Morgan embrace him tight and his body still aches from the curse and his heart is still pounding but in Tony’s arms, he feels safe for the first time in a long time. And in Tony’s arms he feels vulnerable and loved and cared for and without meaning to, the tears dribble down his cheeks until suddenly he’s crying and it’s Tony now, rocking him back and forth, “It’s okay. You did it. You saved us Peter.” 

And when he’s done, when they’re all strong enough to stand again, Tony snaps into action, picking him right up to get to the Hospital Wing, Morgan trailing behind. They find Ned and MJ already there, Professor Banner staring at them with an exasperated fondness, “You kids really know how to stir the pot hm?”

MJ, with her black eye and split lip just flashes a peace sign while Peter hides a smile.

“You did good.” Tony praises, looking each of them in the eye, “Hogwarts owes you a giant debt. Even if you did break just about every rule there is.” 

Peter sags into Tony’s side. He’s tired now. Ready to rest. “You got all the bad guys?”

“Every last one.” Tony promises. 

“Okay. Tha’s good.” Peter says, slurring his words.

Tony smiles, moving him gently to a cot, “Okay tough guy, time for you to sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

“You’ll be there?”

Tony squeezes his hand, “You bet.” 

And with that reassurance, Peter closes his eyes and feels Professor Banner’s warm magic repair the bruises and burns across his body. He closes his eyes and drifts away to somewhere calmer and warmer. Somewhere that looks how he felt sitting in Tony’s living room with Morgan and Pepper laughing around him.

When he wakes up, it’s the middle of the night and Tony is sitting at his side, head leaning on the wall, mouth slightly open as he slept. Peter watches him for a moment, looking at the way the moonlight reflects off his cheeks before closing his eyes again. 

He is loved. So he’s safe. There’s nothing that can hurt him now.


End file.
